An investigation into the impact of English appropriateness and the nurturing of autonomous learning attitudes on learner developmental processes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00885
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: Collins Peter 東海大学, 語学教育センター, 教授 (10307241)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 藤枝 美穂 大阪医科薬科大学, 医学部, 教授 (20328173) ; 鈴木 広子 東海大学, 付置研究所, 教授 (50191789)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: Reading processes / Taxonomy / Scaffolding activities / Protocol analysis / EAP course design / Tertiary education

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research traced student processes of developing learner language and comprehension in a series of reading/writing activities. Survey data revealed that participating students initially lacked the linguistic knowledge and cognitive skills needed to engage in EAP-based communication activities. Syllabi and input- and output-based materials and activities were designed to advance students' higher-order thinking skills. Learner protocols were analyzed quantitatively; data revealed that the educational framework designed by the investigators enabled students to effectively recycle technical terms and other key expressions introduced in academic reading passages. Qualitative analysis showed evidence that the framework's scaffolded task sequence enabled students to clarify their roles as 1) a target audience and 2) writers with a target audience. Ultimately, the students were better able to contextualize academic content and language and to reflect on the language they produced.

Free Research Field

英語教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本実践研究は、開発したコース設計の基盤となるタキソノミーを利用した一連のコミュニケーション活動の教育的枠組みを構築し、学習者英語の変化を分析した。その結果、EAPのコミュニケーション能力は、言語知識の習得、読み書き活動の単なる積み重ねだけでなく、背景知識・文脈を利用した内容把握から学習言語(EAP)を利用することによって言語知識を学習していく、いわばトップ・ダウン過程の重要性を示唆している。